


Written in Your Heart

by valkyreina



Category: Barbie - All Media Types, Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper (2004), The Prince and the Pauper - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Historical, Historical Accuracy, Historical Inaccuracy, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:21:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27825202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valkyreina/pseuds/valkyreina
Summary: The story of two young girls born on the same day and identical in appearance. Erika Canty, a pauper who lives as an indentured servant, and Anneliese Tudor, daughter of Queen Genevieve.
Relationships: Anneliese & Dominick & Erika & Julian (Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper), Anneliese & Julian (Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper), Anneliese/Julian (Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper), Dominick/Erika (Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EvieNyx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvieNyx/gifts).



On a summer’s evening, when the air was thick and breezes rarely passed by, when the sound of the taverns flooded the streets and children played in the dwindling light, two girls were born. The first, named Erika Canty by two parents already drowning in debt, was born in a makeshift bassinet stuffed with straw. Covered only by a torn tablecloth and not even a day old, she was already deep in the throws of life on the streets. The second girl, identical to the first, entered the world in silk and coveted gold. Word of her birth spread from the mountains to the valleys of the kingdom as parties and parades were held in her honor, as she was Princess Anneliese Tudor, daughter of Queen Genevieve. The first day of her life brought joy throughout the neighboring territories and towns, while the Canty family, hidden deep in the capital, wept for the strain the new child would put on them.

On that summer’s evening, when the air was thick and people gathered, two girls were born. One serenaded by the most renowned bards of the lands and fed by the finest chefs. The other lulled to sleep by the tears of her household, stomach growling from the incomplete scraps passed off as food. The streets knew no mercy, even to the most innocent of wards.

On that summer’s evening, when the air was thick and shouts could be heard throughout the cities, two girls were born in the kingdom of Inopia. Though identical in looks, they could not have been placed in more different lives. There was struggle and there was prosperity, but those were cards dealt, and their fates had been sealed.


	2. 1- Erika's Early Life

Fabassa was young, almost sixteen hundred years old, and was good for its time. The inner city was crowded, with houses built tall and crammed together, tight streets, and only the occasional fresh wind from the neighboring town over where the nobles resided. The alleys were coated with dirt and waste, and Erika Canty grew to learn the streets well. There was little else to do for the young girl after being sold to indentured servitude by her father at the age of five.

Erika lived in a dress emporium on the second floor in a closet, fashioned with the blanket she was born in, old straw, and the few belongings she was able to hide from her employer, the marble-hearted Metia Carp. Overall, the second floor’s ceilings were decaying, the floor creaked, and the walls were always damp, not to mention the roommate Erika shared the floor with. The main level shop, however, had the newest wood floor and colorful wallpaper to hide the old building’s frame. There was space for guests to wander without bumping elbows and cloth from neighboring cities on the racks.

“Slacking again?” Metia Carp whined as she swung the shop door open. “Need I remind you, this is a dress emporium?” The wrinkles on her forehead grew as she glared at Erika.

“I would have said a debtors prison,” the girl responded off-handedly as she continued to stitch a dress on the workbench before her. It was a rare moment to catch only the workers in the shop. People entered and exited the store frequently, with the most notable customers being the royal family that Erika fantasized about.

Nonetheless, Erika made a good majority of the clothes sold, with her coworker Bertie who made corsets.

“Keep it up. You’ll be working for me for another thirty-seven years.” Metia laughed while she brushed her fingertip across the window sill, pleased to find that Bertie had cleaned for hours before the Madame’s arrival. Before Erika could protest, she countered, “There’s always interest, love.”

“My parents did what they could to feed me.” Erika flinched involuntarily as she watched her superior walk past her. This had not been the first time they got into this argument, and as long as it meant defending her family name, it would not be the last either.

“That sounds like their fault, now doesn’t it?”

Her voice was clear and steady, something Erika took after, and that’s where the similarities between the two ended. Metia Carp was as wicked sober as she was intoxicated.

Metia preferred Bertie to her younger counterpart, and trained her in thievery, aiming to make her into the same well-groomed conwoman. Had it not been for the local priest, Father Andrew, it may have been so. He came in secret after mass to teach the girls morality and literacy as well as give them scraps from the church, not that Metia would know as she spent many nights at noble gatherings.

“Erika?”

The young girl flinched as she heard her name ring throughout the building.

“Yes, Madame Carp?” Erika retreated from her workstation, abandoning the lavish pink gown she had been working on. It was a slower evening, and Erika could tell by the slight drawl in he voice that Metia had been at a tavern beforehand.

“How much have you made from your singing?” Erika’s heart stopped in her chest as Metia maintained her unwavering gaze. “I know all about your glorified begging. Whatever money you get is mine, remember?”  
Erika had kept her singing a secret to avoid paying Metia. She understood that even though she had paid half of her debt, Metia was ready to increase interest at any time.  
“You refused to beg, so you sang. I will ask only once. Where is the money?” 

With a sigh, Erika reached into her pouch, discarded the few coins she had earned on the table in front of her, and watched as Metia scrambled to catch them.

“Leaves me with less work for the night,” Metia shrugged the girl off and walked back out of the shop. Bertie’s eyes never met Erika’s.

Despite living under the watchful eye of Metia, Erika was content with getting by. She was not out of housing, and knew there were others with less than her. Still, she couldn’t help but dream of somewhere else as she sang on cool summer evenings.

When she was not working, Erika would sing for hours in the streets, quickly gathering large crowds and admirers, but at night, Erika would lay on her straw and yearn for even a taste of another life, one in which she was free from her family’s debts and living lavishly in a castle, though even Bertie once laughed at the thought. Erika kept her dreams to herself after that, and soon resentment grew for her life, her straw “bed,” and most of all, Metia Carp.

As she continued her readings under Father Andrew, Erika’s fantasies grew with each passing night. And as she sang on the corner, she began to resent the streets she grew up. She wanted to be clean, to wear the high-end clothes she made for the dress emporium, and to eat as much as her heart desired.

Even still, life in the capital was eventful, if nothing else. On one of her escapades, Erika was able to see the annual parade in celebration of Princess Anneliese. One summer’s day, Erika saw poor Anne, a girl only ten years old, burn at the stake for thievery. The next day she saw an out-of-town pastor preach about something he clearly had no concern over.

As Erika continued reading, she began to not only fantasize about being royal, but to adopt courtly mannerisms. It began first by teasing of the other citizens, but soon enough, the kids from blocks away would gather in their free time to listen to Erika sing and make faux speeches. Adults came to visit the talented young girl, and she quickly gained notoriety in each alleyway of the town. To the people, she was a miracle, but to Metia Carp, Erika Canty was another piggy bank, ready to squeal and pay up at the drop of a hat.

Erika began making a mock royal court, in which she acted as a powerful court member. She pretended to sing on the princess’ birthday and wedding, and at the end of the day she would return home in her rags and beg for scraps of food. And still, Erika’s desire to be a great singer to the queen grew until it was the one thing she could think about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all, in case you haven't seen my tumblr recently, @EvieNyx and I are going to start streaming together. Stay tuned for updates! My twitch is twitch.tv/valkyreina (idk what hers is). Thank you so much for the support


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